Let the Sky be Filled With Stars
by CII
Summary: This is what happens when Takhisis actually gets what she wants. The real story behind the beginning of the Multiverse, the arrival of King Ghidorah, and everything else unexplained in the long running 10-year long series. This ties everything from the Kiryuu Saga to the Crimson Dragon together into one. Blame Takhisis.


**Let the Sky be Filled With Stars**

She laid in her ruin, her black body twisted painfully from the fall. Jutting brown rocks formed the crater around her body. A wing laid loosely over the edges. Her tail barely twitched. And beyond the great five-headed dragon were those who had taken her down. Huma, the lowly Knight of Solamnia and his silver dragon Gwyneth. Beside him was Kaz, the Minotaur, a dragonlance in his huge, furry hand. Gwyneth laid upon her side, her silvery body barely moving, blood staining the quicksilver scales. She lifted her head up painfully to peer upon the fallen body of the Queen of Darkness. Each of the colorful five heads twitched from the pain of the single lance lodged into the neck of the blue dragon head. Takhisis' black ichor dripped from the wound.

It had been eons since she had felt such pain. Though, she had to admit, it was nothing to the pain she had felt during the War. That was real pain.

The red dragon head turned, its fiery eyes staring at the human who had taken her down. Blood was staining his shiny armor, his cloak tattered, his face cut up and bruised. An eye was swollen, an arm broken. But his good arm held upon the lance and he braced himself against it. She could see the hope in his eyes, that hope was still strong despite the fact she could hear the pulse of his heart grow fainter and fainter. Huma was going to die.

"It is over, Takhisis, Dragonqueen," he said, though his voice seemed gargled and each time he spoke a syllable, blood seemed to spit from his mouth. "It is over."

_Is it? _

"Yes, your renegades have been hunted down, your armies are being routed," Human said. "There will never again be another Galan Dracos."

Takhisis flinched, pinned firmly down upon the ground, the lance still sparkling from her chest. Her black claws twitched. Her sickle barbed tail flailed wildly. The other four heads growled in agony.

_No, there won't._

"I offer you a proposition," he began. "I will release you from the lance if you agree to withdraw your forces, your dragons–from Krynn."

_And tell me what happens if I don't?_

"Over that rise will be a hundred more lances," said Huma. "They will not release you. They will have you battered, and beaten for the evil you have done! The great Queen of Darkness fallen to the hands of mortals. Even if we cannot kill you, we can keep you in this pain for as long as we must."

_That does not sound all that–fun._

"Fun?" asked Huma. "This isn't fun! What do you mean by fun?"

_And you are too stupid to understand. I really don't care anymore, Huma. Fine, release me and I will leave. Forever. I have failed again at my plans. So, like a wounded dog with my tail between my legs, I will leave._

Her tone was dry, strangely dry.

"Huma, you can't release her!" Gwyneth said, raising her silvery head up. "You can't! It will all come back–"

"Huma you can't be serious," said Kaz. "You've won, do not back down now."

"I must release her, it is to restore the Balance," said Huma. "Good and Evil always must be in check."

Despite the pain, Takhisis started laughing. The red dragon's head opened its mouth up, its forked tongue curling out between its fangs and her cackling voice erupted from it.

_Yes, keep believing the lie. It is far better than the truth. _

"The Balance is no lie," said Huma.

_You know, since it is obvious you are going to die, mortal–perhaps I shall share with you the truth. Let you die knowing the truth than knowing a lie. Are you ready for the big shocker?_

"Huma–don't listen to her," said Gwyneth.

_Shut up, _hissed Takhisis. _Let me speak my peace. Then, you can take the lance out–and I will be on my way. Besides, I'm done with this world. I've wasted enough time on a failed experiment._

Huma's head bobbed up and down, fighting the losing fight between consciousness and blackness. He swallowed, coughing again.

"Say–your peace then," he said.

_I'm not really evil, _said Takhisis.

"Excuse me?"

_I'm not really evil. Everything I have done–those horrors you hate me for, they were nothing. Nothing compared to what really lies out there–the real horror. Everything I have done to this world was an attempt to strengthen it. Because it is the last. Krynn is it. There is no other life out there. It was all destroyed. The things I've done to this world–it was to harden you–to save you because we all failed to save the rest._

The five dragon heads stopped and Takhisis relaxed her body, the pain itself becoming numb. But the power of the lance kept her pinned. She could not lift herself, as if the lance itself weighed more than herself.

"What was the rest?" Huma asked.

_The sky really was once filled with stars, _said Takhisis, looking up at the night sky. She saw the hole in the southern sky where her constellation was now missing. No stars were there. But still there was Paladine, in his six-winged glory, still circling and keeping his watchful eye with Galean the Book between him and the hole. _"Not the fake ones we created to–hide the vacancy. And they were filled with life. Then–these horrible creatures came–from another dimension–another reality. Incomprehensible, even by our standards. And we could do nothing to fight against them. The life was lethargic, apathetic, needy. You could not put on your boots without calling upon the gods. We made you that way–and it was wrong. And life died because of that. Life was not strong. And we failed to defend it. We saved what we could and made this world–in the exact same method as before. And I spoke against it! I said it must follow another path now–if it ever wishes to be strong against those monstrosities. Not even Paladine–the one who I loved–listened. Even he betrayed me._ The red head turned back to Huma. _And I grew vengeful. A lot that I have done was in spite–but the rest, I wanted to prove that I was right. But no–there is no way. Because you are programmed to be the weak, pathetic creatures you are. And no amount of hardships that I can deliver will change it. I am done with this world, mortal. It is time I move on._

Huma stared into the Dark Queen's fiery eyes, but no amount of deceit was in them. The Knight of the Crown took in a deep breath and slid down into the crater. He climbed over the shield-sized black scales, stumbling over muscle. Finally, after the painful trek, scaling the Dragonqueen's body, he came to the lance still embedded in her chest.

"And you promise to leave?" he asked, his failing vision still on the red head.

_You will not hear from me ever again, Knight. Nor will those who call themselves my fellow deities. I will leave. For good._

Huma turned back to the Dragonlance and folded his gloved hands over the shaft. With one heave, he pulled it free from the great dragon's chest. As the lance came free, he let it drop, rolling over Takhisis' huge flank. And then, he started to fall.

"Huma!" Gwyneth called as she watched Takhisis begin to rise, the wound in her chest sealing shut immediately. The silver dragon tried to rise from the ground, hoping desperately to drag herself to her beloved knight, but her strength betrayed her. And she watched as Huma's body fell from the rising, titanic dragon. A black claw swiftly caught the human. He looked like a tiny, rag-doll, limp in the goddess' paw. Takhisis lowered him down gently, despite her great size–laying him close to Gwyneth. Kaz held to his own lance, ready to strike at the Dragonqueen lest she betrayed them now.

The four outer heads melded with the central red head, their colors becoming like stripes running down her long, thick neck. Takhisis rose to her hind legs and held out a paw to her side. Within it gathered a ball of circulating, red energy. The black claw closed upon the ball, squeezing out a glowing sword.

_It is time, Rodimus, your days as High God have just ended. Time for a new order to the cosmos and to recreate life–that can and will fight them._

Then, she vanished with much less thunder than she arrived. The sky was clear, no dragons clouded it. Huma laid his head upon Gwyneth's silvery chest. Gwyneth looked up to the sky, her eyes slowly closing.

"What–what just happened?" she asked.

"I do not know–" he replied, though it was nothing more than a whisper.

They laid there, staring up at the sky, bewilderment now permanently planted upon their faces. Though, their eyes could only see now the cold darkness. Kaz looked up to the sky, pressing his lips together.

"We won, my friends," he whispered. "The Dragonqueen is gone."

0

"You can't be serious, Marina!" Paladine called as he watched a lupine black, anthropomorphic dragon, dressed in robes of black, red, blue, green, and white, thunder across the Void. "This is madness."

The dragon stopped, her red eyes focusing upon the Platinum Dragon, ire hot in each of them.

"Oh, I intend to, Galen," Takhisis said. "I intend to."

"You can't kill Rodimus, I forbid it!" he said as he trotted to her, his multiple wings half spread. Behind him trailed the golden-haired Mishakal, goddess of healing and the other gods of Light. The gods of Gray said nothing, but the Gods of Darkness only fumed, Sargonnas especially showing his heated fury. Takhisis always enraged him. She enraged him when she forced him to bear Nuitari, she enraged him when she had that fling with Hidukkel, she enraged him when she attacked Krynn without his aid. Of course, he would attack Krynn–only for his selfish desires, Takhisis had her own plans.

"You can't possibly go up against the High God, wench," said Sargonnas. "If you've failed in making Krynn all yours, you'll fail here."

"Of course," said Takhisis. "I am nothing more than a failure. And I've lived with it! But I can't stand such lethargy to continue. Life will begin again–and it will begin with real strength. It will be industrious. And most important–it will not rely on gods to hold its hand every step of the way."

"But we guide the mortals," said Mishakal.

"No, you pamper them," said Takhisis. "One day, you'll see it. You'll see what you are doing is wrong. And then you all will throw a big tantrum–and maybe some giant rock at the planet all because your little playthings aren't behaving like they should. Life must grow, but you stupid, backwards hicks keep it stunted. When I am the new High God, I shall create new life–life that will learn from itself. And I will begin the project of finding a way to be rid of those monsters once and for all! It all begins with the materials that make up everything. Then, life will be free. Free to either save itself or destroy itself!"

Paladine growled and spread his wings, leaping for Takhisis, claws outstretched. The Dark Queen swung her red, glowing, energy sword, pointing it directly at her once graceful lover. Paladine paused, his blue eyes wide as he came so close to the tip of the sword.

"I wouldn't, my sweet ex-husband," said Takhisis. "I really wouldn't. This is not for you!"

She turned towards the Void, the emptiness of space where not even the stars shined. Though there was one singular spec in the Void, one that pulsed with great power and wisdom. All it took was one step and she was there. Before her was a shimmering being of light–light so bright she could not see the shape beyond it. This being was the High God, a god above all gods. Creator and destroyer of gods. He held the power of the Ashaka, the written code in which all life could be created from. And she wanted that code. She had desired it since she realized what a fool she was for believing one way was the only way. The old way–the way that life must be made at its highest order, never really allowed to learn or grow–dragons are dragons, humans are humans, elves are elves, ogres–ogres. And they were never created from anything else, from simplicity that could become complex with each stage. They were never meant to evolve. Takhisis saw this flaw and began to realize this way only made life more susceptible to the Far Realm's influence. To make life now as it should be–to evolve properly and be strong because of it, allow it to grow and learn–and then teach–that is the true weapon against the Far Realm. Not only will this new life learn, but it will teach Takhisis. So many millions of years had she spent her time developing this method on how life would carry a piece of her conscience, a pearl of herself within it, and once it learned all it needed to learn, it would come back to her and she would store that knowledge. Which each thing that came and went, it would send her knowledge back to be used against the Far Realm. But this technique required Rodimus, the High God–to be taken from his throne.

A new High God will rise.

Takhisis held to her sword tightly looking up at the glowing being before her. A voice spoke to her, deep and echoing, filled with command. It sounded like it came from all around her. But she could hear a hint of weakness in it–withering away like a leaf on a dry day.

**_"Takhisis, do not think I have not foreseen this foolish plan of yours."_**

"Of course not, Rodimus," said Takhisis. "I would never think you weren't prepared."

**_"Don't make me destroy you," _**he said as he slowly descended down to her.

"You can certainly try."

The High God held out a shimmering hand to her and the ether itself seemed to ripple about him. Takhisis felt a push upon her form–the force of the High God's will seemed stronger than her own. The Dark Queen shifted and swung her sword. Rodimus raised an arm and the sword clanked upon it with a flash of bright white light. Takhisis grunted as she followed through, the blade itself slowly descended through his arm. The High God called out, his arm vanishing. Takhisis countered again, thrusting the sword right straight through his chest.

**_"What?" _**he asked. **_"How?"_**

"I've studied the old text," she replied. "A previous High God prior to you, his methods of obtaining the power from the one before him. He used the same method as I am now. And you, Rodimus, you are so weak! The battle with those monsters has weakened you greatly. With every strike, I absorb a little bit of you into myself." She pulled the sword free and Rodimus' chest. "And your powers combined with my own–what a powerful High God I would make. Perhaps powerful enough to truly be the force that can withstand the Far Realm."

The High God fell to his knees.

"I knew you couldn't put up much of a fight," said Takhisis. "You are like the rest. It is no wonder why you lost to those creatures."

**_"You lost too."_**

"Only because you were such a poor leader," she said as she stabbed downward upon his back. Wisps of blue slowly flowed into the energy blade of the sword itself. Takhisis blinked, her red eyes turning cyan. Even the energy color of her sword turned cyan as she absorbed his powers. She pulled the blade free again and Rodimus moaned, holding his chest. The glow of his body began to fade. She could see his face now. "My, don't you look handsome."

His face was pale, humanoid, with platinum white hair and a pair of glowing blue eyes. Upon his face were five triangular markings, each one lined his cheeks. His body was covered in a white robe, just a plain white robe. The lupine dragon looked upon herself, seeing that she had started to glow, her black scales now fading to platinum white. Even her clothes were fading, their colors becoming paler and paler. Rodimus looked up at her, breathing heavily, or at least mimicking breathing heavily. He held his sparking wounds.

**_"You honestly believe the new method would work, Takhisis?"_**

"Yes," she replied.

**_"How? There is no proof..."_**

"That's because you never gave me the chance to test my idea," said Takhisis. "You already condemned it as wrong the moment I mentioned it. I am going to be saving lives, Rodimus. While you–you just let them fester on." She looked towards the sparkling blue jewel that was Krynn, it's three moons circling it while the shining sun burned on. "Tell me you don't realize they will just parish like the others of the old universe? When he comes with his monsters, Krynn will not even survive. But I am willing to spare it even after I become the new High God. With the power of the previous High Gods–power you have never fully utilized–I will shield it–keep it as a reminder of how _not _to make a world."

**_"It will be spared–"_**

He said it almost not out of gratitude, but like a prayer. Rodimus rolled over to look up at his attacker with acceptance. Takhisis swung the final blow. He exhaled as the last of his energy left him. His body faded to white smoke, washing over Takhisis, finally bathing her in the light. She closed her eyes and laid down. All at once, the images came–the voices came. They were the memories of the previous High Gods, their worlds, their failures. One after another, each universe fell to the Far Realm. One after another, a High God was chosen to succeed the last in hopes to strengthen the Ashaka. That hope was only vanity. Each universe that succeeded the last with a new High God–they were only created the same way. None of them learned anything from their mistakes. The images came with a rush of power, tingling every fiber of her being. Voices called out to her, but were faint, distant. And Takhisis continued to convulse upon the floor. A hand reached for her and she batted it away, her eyes flaring7 open. The face was blurry at first, but as it faded into view, she recognized it.

**_"Paladine," _**she said. Her voice was powerful, echoing, much like Rodimus' did. **_"I did it."_**

"You did," said the Platinum Dragon, though his face was filled with horror and discontent. His eyes wide, his brows arched. He watched her as she rose to her feet. "Takhisis, this is wrong! What you have done is wrong! The powers of the High God are to be given to one who is worthy, not taken by force."

**_"And that you are wrong, my former lover," _**Takhisis began, her taloned finger gently and playfully scraping his snout. **_"There had been many cases in which the new High God had taken the powers by force. And I had found that created stronger High Gods. Seems like when things are handed to us–we do not use them to our full potential. We don't treat it with as much respect as something we've earned with struggle and strife. Though he didn't put up much of a fight."_**

"That I noticed," said Paladine. "You were like a bully, taking a child's candy away."

**_"Only because the candy was so unhealthy," _**Takhisis said with a smile spreading across her face. She reached up to touch the five triangular, black markings upon her scaly cheeks. **_"You don't know how right this feels, Galen. I was meant to have this. Now, I am going to set it all right. And by doing so–the first law I shall make as High God, no deity shall interfere with progression of life–nor the free will of sentience. Let them call the shots. We are to follow and learn from them. The new life has much to teach us."_**

"And what of Krynn, _High God_?" asked Paladine. "It was made with the old ways–it needs our interference or it will die."

**_"Consider it a special case," _**she replied. **_"One that fits outside the rules. But this means you and your fellow gods must never interfere with the universe I plan on creating. We now go our separate ways, Galen. And I shall have nothing to do with that world again."_**

"And what of the Balance?" Paladine asked as he began to circle around the newly appointed High God. "There must be equality."

**_"There never was," _**said Takhisis, her cyan blue eyes narrowing at the Platinum Dragon. She crossed her arms. **_"You lumped me with those losers because of what I was doing–because you thought I was doing evil when really, I was trying to do good."_** She snorted. **_"They can survive without me. Besides, I think Sargonnas would much rather see me vanish than having to look at me day in and day out for the rest of eternity."_**She sighed, shrugging, looking away from him. **_"I only went out with him because you cheated on me with that pretty blond bimbo."_**

"She is my _wife_ now," said Paladine. "You show her some respect."

Takhisis chuckled, her hands coming to her hips. She flipped her silky, white and silver hair.

**_"I think it's more the other way around," _**she said.

"No one will bow before you as High God," said Paladine. "You can mark my words on that."

**_"Do you think I actually care whether or not that special little group likes me? I can't believe how full of that ego you happen to be. And you call me egotistical."_**

Paladine stepped back as he watched Takhisis walk out into the emptiness. His blue eyes focusing on her.

"Marina–"

**_"This needs to happen, Galen," _**she said. **_"It all needs to happen. That pretty little planet you care for so much will wither and die when those creatures come to devour it. And because of your backwards ways–you would have been responsible for the destruction of all life that ever is or ever was or will ever be." _**Takhisis turned, her eyes staring upon him sternly. **_"But what I am about to do will prevent that from happening. Life will still be spared even if Krynn is destroyed. And because life will still exist, hope will always be there. Isn't that the point of it?"_**

Paladine bowed his head, his mind whirling around as he reflected upon her words. Her voice broke his thoughts once more.

**_"Leave me to my work. There will be stars again, Paladine. Stars that will bring light to the darkness. It will be beautiful."_**

0

A hundred years had passed and Paladine once more walked out into the Void. But there, he had found something new, the Void was now filled with a strange brown gas. Sitting in the middle, shimmering like a star was Takhisis. Paladine passed through the thick gas. A flash of electricity charged the cloud, lighting it up in sulfuric yellow. He came to her side, still looking around at this haze she had created.

"Where are those stars you promised, Takhisis?" he asked. "All I see is brown."

**_"This is hydrogen, the basic form of matter," _**she replied. **_"It is what all that remained of the old universe. I was able to create it from the sub-particles left behind. Only it is not reacting the way I wanted it. It's spread out so evenly–perfectly. Perfection–"_**

"Well, you want your universe to be perfect," said Paladine. "And so it is."

Takhisis sighed, wagging her head. Paladine just sniffed, shifting his wings.

"So perfect. You really out done yourself, Takhisis. You've created perfection and now nothing moves. It's too perfect to move."

Takhisis eyes widened as a light sparked into her eyes, a light of realization.

**_"Then the universe must be imperfect!"_**

Her white claw reached out and touched one of the particles of hydrogen. She nudged it over and it collided with its brother. A spark between the two ignited and it drew more hydrogen in.

**_"This is it!"_**

The hydrogen continued to clump together, whirling around into a ball, folding in upon itself, and growing hotter and hotter as it gathered more particles. It ignited into a yellow ball of light and soon the universe was empty of the gas. The light remained. It was so hot, so charged, it vibrated and pulsed. Takhisis took hold of Paladine and they watched as the tiny ball exploded in a bright blinding flash–sending forth the hydrogen everywhere. The gas radiated out in a blinding speed, energy and radiation followed it. And the gas reacted, clumping together to form enormous accretion disks, sparking with glowing life, filaments of sparkling dust that grew into a tree, spanning light years.

**_"Imperfection," _**she said. **_"And the correct amount of the four forces. It's a tree or a spider web of light."_**

"But this method is slow," said Paladine.

Takhisis let go of him, throwing him away in disgust.

**_"You are alway finding something wrong!" _**she said. **_"You can never let me have something like this. Never let me enjoy something I have done. I will never meet your expectations, no matter what I do!"_**

"But life won't even form until–billions of years later," said Paladine. "The old method, we created life within minutes of forming the world."

**_"This is how it is supposed to be," _**said Takhisis. **_"Those gigantic stars are my factory for this universe. When they die, they will create the heavier elements, the elements needed to create galaxies–systems capable of supporting life. It has to start in its simplest form. And for that, it needs time. Sometimes, if you want to do it right, you need to go slowly. And it is imperfect. How can life grow and learn if it was perfect? Perfection means it already knows everything it needs to. It cannot think beyond itself."_**

"And what of Krynn?" asked Paladine. "What will you do? By the time Krynn finally withers, perhaps your life will be complex enough to craw out of its primordial soup."

**_"Krynn must be spared," _**she said. **_"Perhaps let it see what it could have been. And when my life comes to visit, it will learn what it was not supposed to be. Let it learn from your obsolete world. Krynn's time will be slowed down. A protective blanket around it shall shield it from the passage of time. Let it reside within a naked singularity in which time dilates. And then when time comes, I shall take away the singularity and time will return to normal. As years go by on Krynn, millions will go by out here."_**

Paladine backed away again, looking back at the blue bobble that was Krynn. Takhisis sighed, wagging her head.

**_"You should be happy," _**she said. **_"This is taking up my time. I'm not terrorizing that planet anymore. I want nothing to do with that planet."_**

"I know I should be happy," said Paladine. "But I'm not. It's–it's not the–I mean I want you–"

**_"You miss me?" _**Takhisis asked. She flipped her silvery hair away from her brow and grinned. She leaned against the Platinum Dragon and held his shoulder. Paladine turned away and Takhisis laughed. **_"You do miss me! You miss me! Galen, shame on you. What would Mishikal say?"_**

"Please, Marina," began Paladine. His eyes focused upon her and he lifted a claw to her cheek. "I–"

Takhisis's smile soften and raised her white claws to his mane.

**_"Just admit it, damn it," _**she said. **_"You made a mistake. I wouldn't act like I do if you would just admit it. You still love me. You know I haven't forgotten my feelings for you. I still love you, Paladine. And I still haven't forgotten how much it hurt when you left me. All I wanted from you was an apology at least. Just to say: 'I'm sorry, Takhisis. I'm sorry I broke your heart.' Just some sort of acknowledgement from you. After all we've been through with each other–I thought we had something. To have you just throw that away for a pretty blond."_**

"Mishikal..."

**_"Who the fuck cares what her name is?" _**Takhisis said, her face twisting in anger again. She snatched her hand away. Her silvery wings rustled. **_"I don't! That's not the point of it. All you did was chase a pretty tail and that was it. Do you even really love her? Are you just with her now because you're ashamed to admit you made a mistake? I've admitted my mistakes, but you–you're Mr. Perfect. You stupid hypocrite. And when ever nothing is perfect in your eyes, you have to chastise it."_** Takhisis sighed. **_"We're not perfect. You and I. We're not perfect. We were mortal once. At least I remember that. I never try to be perfect. I'm going to do bad things as well as good. I'm going to fall flat on my face, but I will get up. But you. You have to make sure your own shit smells like roses. You're afraid to get your hands dirty. And you've forgotten who you used to be. You've lost yourself. You've forgotten Galen. And now you've forgotten me."_**

She pressed her claws to her chest and looked out beyond the void now filled with brilliant billions of blue white stars.

**_"I fell in love with Galen Garath," _**she said. **_"Not Paladine–not Bahamut. Galen. So, go home. Go back to being Paladine. I've accepted that we will never be together. And I'm going to let you go. You're free now. Return to your blond bimbo. I hope you have a wonderful eternity with her." _**Another star ignited into life, the flash reflecting off of her blue orbs. **_"This is my love now. This is my joy. I am finally happy."_**

Paladine sighed as he returned to Krynn. Mishikal was waiting for him, opening her arms out to him. He gathered her up into his platinum forelegs, holding her close. Paladine lowered his draconic head upon her golden crown.

"What did she say this time?" Mishikal asked. "What has she done?"

"Created a universe filled with brilliant stars," Paladine said. "It is beautiful, just like she said it would be." He sighed. "But–life will grow so slowly. Where as time will pass so quickly for Krynn. Takhisis said that to prevent it–she will encase this system in a singularity and it will slow time for us. Seconds will become centuries. She said she will not return."

Mishakal sighed, parting from her husband.

"You can't torture yourself like this anymore, Paladine," she said. "You can't continue on living a lie. I know about your feelings for her. Maybe it is best we part now. You can return to her."

"No," he said. "No. I don't–"

"Stop living in your shame. You two really do belong together. So much alike you are. You both know things we would never know. Especially what it truly means to be mortal." She looked down upon Krynn, watching it spin, tilting to night. "She's right, this method–it will eventually ruin them."

"But we can't let them go," said Paladine. "If we do, they will destroy themselves."

"They have the right to choose," said Mishikal. "Takhisis–all this time–was right!" She bit her lips. "Oh how that tastes like ash when I say it! I hate those words. _Takhisis was right._ I hate them. How could that despicable creature be right? But she is." She closed her eyes, tears dripping down upon her milky cheeks. "She is."

He held her close again, brushing his claw through her golden hair.

"Forget about those, words," he said. "Just forget about them."

0

A few more centuries passed upon Krynn while another few billion years passed in the reality outside. The universe created by Takhisis had grown into a vast multiverse, many dimensions existing within the shell. However, the protective shell was imperfect, just like the multiverse. It expanded outward, touching the boarders of the infernal Far Realm and the creatures within it riled with glee to taste it and the beings that lived within it. Civilizations capable of expanding beyond their homeworlds had risen–a few fallen–but only to rise again. Paladine watched, his eyes away from Krynn to see what all had transpired within Takhisis' Multiverse. These mortals were like gods themselves, capable of manipulating matter much like her. These mortals who called themselves Kethosi. They traveled between the dimensions, and they were the first to be appointed the guardians who interacted with the others–and to use the knowledge that Takhisis gathered. She chose them, made them in her very likeness–great lupine draconic beings, titanic in their stature. They did not worship Takhisis, only used the knowledge, downloading it into their minds in order to combat the creatures of the Far Realm. And they were successful at repelling them–far beyond what any god was capable of doing in the time before.

There were metallic and chromatic dragons as well, their bodies much bigger than the ones upon Krynn. Their evolution made them enormous and Paladine wondered if the godly interference upon Krynnn had stunted its dragons. Though, their colors did not determine whether or not they were good or evil. It did not matter if the dragon was red or silver, if they chose to perform good or evil–it was done because they wanted to. Free Will, this was what she meant.

There was great good and great evil. And beyond these mortals were god-like beings. They were not gods as he was–Takhisis did not want to call them as such. Even Takhisis gave up the word 'godhood' for herself–citing it as an insult to what she really was. And these beings kept the balance between life and death, creation and destruction–to help her enforce these laws. If mortals created religions to these shining beings–they chose to do so out of their own will or ignorance. Takhisis knew they would soon grow to learn that religion was just a folly. Why should gods dictate the lives of mortals? Gods only hindered mortals.

Paladine finally looked back to his Krynn and saw the very thing Takhisis warned about happening before his eyes. His religion, the people who bowed and prayed to him created the great Empire of Ishtar. The Kingpriest as its ruler–ordering that anyone who ever went against the word of Paladine shall be destroyed. Out of goodness festered a horrible evil, and it was not created by the Gods of Evil. It was created by Paladine himself.

The Platinum Dragon saw the Kingpriest order the deaths of many regardless to what they believed in–unless they believed in the ways of Paladine. Wizards of the order of Magi, no matter what color of robes they wore, were put to death. Even Mishikal's priests, believers of good and peace and healing, were slaughtered by the thousands. Mishikal and the other gods screamed at Paladine for allowing this to happen.

"Our priests are dying!" said Majere. "Whatever did they do to you?"

"Not only are priests of evil fall, but priests of good too," said Sargonnas. "Your Kingpriest is killing them!"

"Father," began Solinari. "My mages. They promote good magic, the way of light, and you allow them to be slaughtered?"

"It has to stop!" said Chemosh. "Enough is enough."

**_"What is this?" _**rang a powerful, echoing voice. Paladine turned around as the rest of the Pantheon became silent. Behind him was Takhisis, former Queen of Darkness, now the High God–walking through the singularity that separated Krynn from her Multiverse. **_"What is this bickering I hear?"_**

"I'm surprised to see you here, wench," began Sargonnas. "I thought you were going to leave us alone."

**_"I was," _**said Takhisis. **_"But your upstairs arguing caught my attention. I was going to bang a broomstick against the ceiling to tell you all to shut up, but curiosity got the best of me. What is going on?"_**

"Do your High God powers not tell you what is going on?" asked Chemosh. "The tyranny that goes on Krynn, you can't hear their cries?"

**_"Tyranny?" _**asked Takhisis. **_"A Black God complaining about tyranny? Ironic."_**

"You should care, Takhisis," began Mishikal. "Even the priests who still worship you–out of blind devotion–whom you've left in silence–they are crying out to you as well. And all because of Paladine."

Takhisis turned to Paladine, her blue eyes wide. She calmed her thoughts and listened to her priests still on Krynn calling out to her as they were put to death one by one. A sneer drew across her lupine draconic lips.

**_"What the hell have you done, you arrogant bastard?" _**she asked. **_"I warned that this would happen. I warned you."_**

"I know," he said.

**_"Well, what are you going to do about it?" _**

"I–I leave it in the hands of the High God."

Takhisis took in a deep breath: **_"Me?"_**

"You are the High God," said Paladine. "Should you not judge them?"

Takhisis wagged her head, waving her glistening white claws.

**_"Oh no, don't plant this mistake upon me!" _**

"This is what the High God must do!" said Paladine.

"Go ahead, Takhisis," began Sargonnas. "Judge them. You're the High God now."

**_"It is not all their fault," _**she began as her eyes came to focus upon the great continent of Ishtar. **_"Only one fool is to blame for this. And I shall judge him as I judge you, Paladine. Both guilty for this travesty." _**She shoved a finger right at Paladine's head. **_"Your punishment. You are to leave Krynn with me! I'll have you work for me as a Watcher of my Multiverse. Never shall you return to Krynn. Your priest will hear nothing but silence. Your hand fully removed. Let them be as lost as my own. I've seen how you've watched my project–now that is all you'll ever do. Watch."_** She turned to the other gods. **_"As for Ishtar. Time for its destruction."_**

"Destruction?" asked Mishikal. "What do you mean?"

Takhisis cackled and then said: **_"You'll see."_**

She grab hold of the Platinum Dragon, dragging along as they sped through the ether. They flew swiftly through an asteroid field that circled the system in which Krynn orbited. Takhisis picked through some of the larger asteroids, perfect for her plans. Paladine followed her. She came to a particularly large, thickly rocky, and dense asteroid.

**_"Perfect," _**she said.

"That one?" Paladine asked. "Why that one?"

**_"You and I are going to push it and aim it right at Ishtar," _**Takhisis replied.

"Both of us?" he asked. "But Ishtar will be completely destroyed! And Krynn, the force of the impact will devastate it. The continents will be fractured, a horrible black cloud will rise–the sun's heat will go away! It'll cause a famine! It'll hurt everyone, not just one group of people!"

**_"Exactly," _**said Takhisis. **_"This will be a lesson. This will harden them even more. And they will finally evolve. And maybe they will be able to defend themselves if they can survive the coming centuries of winter. This is the ultimate test."_**

"But you can push this rock without my help," he said. "Why need me?"

**_"Because as we were made together we will do this together," _**she said. **_"True balance. Now push!"_**

The two deities slammed against the surface of the asteroid, pushing it out of its orbit within the belt. They guided it in the path, coming upon Krynn. Takhisis saw the rim of the world come into view. They swung it around in a tight, decaying orbit, dipping it below the moons. And then, they let go, allowing it to speedily fall right into the atmosphere. The asteroid heated up, turning fiery white. Fragments of the space rock broke apart, raining fire upon the surface as its trail led toward Ishtar. Then, it slammed into the continent, driving it below the sea. Rocks and debris exploded outward in a ring of molten fire and liquid matter. A crown of fire rose up, and rocks continued to pelt the surface of Ansalon and Taladas. An enormous wave radiated out from the impact, rolling towards the eastern coast of Ansalon and the port cities drowned in its wake. The hot cloud of joking debris filled the skies of the marble, turning it black, blocking out the sun. The searing heat of the fiery rocks raining down upon every land now was followed by a deathly cold. Within just a few years, Krynn's surface had been obscured with the black cloud and the gods could no longer see its face. There was silence that followed the devastation, deathly silence.

Paladine's head lowered into his claws and he shivered.

"I've killed them all!" he said. "And you made me do it, you bitch!"

**_"They are not dead," _**said Takhisis. **_"But the population will severely dwindle. If famine does not thin them out, the cold surely will. But the strong will survive. Come. It is time for you to join me–join progress and leave this obsolete world behind."_**

She took hold of his claw and they backed away through the barrier of the singularity that housed Krynn. Paladine turned to see the shimmering, vast galaxies that made up the Multiverse.

**_"Asteroids like that one have smacked into many planets with life," _**began Takhisis. **_"And though some of those species had died, others bounced back and even stronger than before. There is nothing to worry about."_**

She motioned to the millions upon millions of black balls filled with millions of millions of galaxies, each one teaming with life.

**_"Become a part of this, Paladine," _**she said. **_"Don't just cling to an old dusty planet. There are billions of worlds, each one with different cultures, languages, each one following their own path! I wanted so much to share this with you. Now, I can. And Krynn's Balance is restored. Now that I am out of the picture–and now that you are out of the picture, the gods of Krynn will be left to their own devices." _**Takhisis took hold of him. **_"As my Watcher, you are now second in power only to me. And you will help me protect the Multiverse. We'll do this together, just like it was meant to be."_**

0

All the dimensions began to rip apart. She swung around, reaching out as wide as she could to hold them together, but not even she could save them from dispersing into their basic components. The twinkling stars returned to brown gas. Takhisis grunted as she pulled upon the remaining dimensions she could save as she watched a horrible fissure rip open in the protective shell that separated her creation from the Far Realm.

"Takhisis, it's happening!" Paladine said. "They're coming through."

A golden claw tore through the fabric and three draconic heads pushed open the fissure wide.

**_"No–"_**

An enormous body, as big as her own ripped open the portal and three pairs red eyes came upon her.

_You have no strength left, little girl._

Takhisis shut her eyes, every bit of her body was being stretched as the nine dimensions she saved tried to rip apart.

_I will finally absorb you._

"Stay away from her!" Paladine called, barring the alien golden dragon's way.

**_"Paladine!" _**Takhisis said. **_"Hold onto these dimensions! I'll handle him."_**

"You're not strong enough, the energy from the destroyed dimensions has not been reabsorbed into you," said Paladine. "Just leave him to me."

_Oh, this should be fun._

Twin golden tails whipped out and the two dragons collided. Paladine fired his blue-white beam of torrent heat and explosive force. Claws slammed into each other and Takhisis could feel the rippling force they created. The dimensions began to vibrate under her, cracking and splintering with every blow.

**_"No!" _**she called. **_"No! Stop! It's only ripping them apart more!"_**

She let go of the dimensions and bound them together with the glowing, blue-white cords extending out from the back of her head. Takhisis grunted and slammed her fists upon both the strange alien dragon and Paladine, sending them both spiraling back. She gathered the blue-white, cyan energy into a claw and squeezed it, forming into her energy sword. Takhisis sliced the blade at one of the tails of the monster that came through the portal, cutting it off. The dragon roared in pain.

**_"I can hurt you," _**she said. **_"More than any of the other High Gods could do to your kind. I can rip you apart."_**

_You've not the strength to do that._

Takhisis gasped, breathing heavily. She looked back to the dimensions bundled and tied in the glowing cilia of her cords. Tears stained her cheeks.

_All your strength is trying to keep them together._

**_"What are you called, monster?"_**

The three headed, golden dragon called, his roar sounding like three different ringings of bells, each one pitched differently.

_You may refer to me as King Ghidorah._

**_"And what is it that you want, King Ghidorah?"_**

_Just you, my delicious tart._

Takhisis sneered in disgust as the dragon licked each of his lips.

"He wants to eat you!" said Paladine.

_And how tasty would you be, Takhisis._

Takhisis wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a strange chill grow over her.

_So weak right now. So ripe for the plucking._

**_"Leave my realm!"_**

_No. I shall have you, and I know how I can have you._

With that, the beast vanished, exploding into golden specks of glowing particles. Takhisis reached out as they started flowing towards her, trying desperately to shield herself from them. Then, each one phased right through her, heading for the nine dimensions she had tied to her cords. She watched with horror as the golden specs dispersed into each of the dimensions. Like her, King Ghidorah was now existing in all the dimensions. She could feel it, feel him eating away at the dimensions, devouring them from the inside out. The stars all began to die out in the nine black, shimmering balls, their light snuffed by King Ghidorah's darkness. Takhisis breathed heavily and raised her hands out to the brown gas that filled what remained of her Multiverse. The gas ignited into a fire of blue-white energy. Paladine shielded his eyes as the glow engulfed Takhisis. She absorbed the energy that was released from the destroyed dimensions, and concentrated it into her being. With an outstretched claw, she pulled upon the golden specks of King Ghidorah, drawing them out of the nine dimensions that were left. Takhisis growled, feeling the strain, feeling his struggle against her.

_You cannot hope to stop me!_

**_"Then I will bind you!" _**she said.

Takhisis drew the specks together and pushed them to a large spiral galaxy within one of the dimensions. She could not draw out all of King Ghidorah's influence from the dimensions, and his strongest presence was in the spiral galaxy she was sealing him in. She sealed him, trapped him in the Astral Plane that connected to the spiral galaxy and formed a protective barrier around the galaxy and the Astral Plane. King Ghidorah slammed his body against the wall, trying to force his way out. She could feel every pounding of the wall. Takhisis withdrew from the dimension, returning to the black Void. All but the nine left was destroyed and the Void looked almost empty again. She gasped and fell to her knees.

**_"How could this happen?"_**

Paladine floated towards her, kneeling down to her and placing a platinum claw upon her back.

"The Multiverse was not ready for this test," he said. "And–it was Vecna's fault. His battles tore the Multiverse apart. It will take a long time to recover from this."

**_"Yes," _**she said. **_"It will. Help me down into that dimension. I must speak to the Kethosi. I must–ask for their help in this."_**

Helped her up and both began to descend down upon the dimension, falling through the blast wave of radiation that began the start of the universe. They came upon a rusty planet with two moons circling a golden star. They crossed over the rusty deserts and rocky mountains to a golden palace. All around them were Kethosi, each one a different color. The coppery golden Kethosi known as the Blitzardi looked to the pale–looking, glowing Kethosi and her Platinum Dragon companion. They knew who they were and they said nothing. Takhisis hobbled weakly through the lavish golden halls. Hanging gardens of green vines draped like curtains over the walls. Water splashed down through intricately designed grooves along the pillars and floors. There she came to the golden throne and a Blitzardi female sitting upon a luxurious cushion surrounded by charges of lightning. Takhisis let go of Paladine, trying to gather what strength she had left.

The Blitzardi rose up, her robes falling about her feet. The robes the Blitzardi wore were very colorful versions of the layered robes that Takhisis wore in her lupine dragon form–as they were made in her likeness. They adopted her looks. And because they were connected directly to her through similar draping glowing, cyan cords hanging from their necks, they too held triangular striped markings upon their faces like she did, and their eyes glowed the same strange cyan blue. They acted as her extension. And now she stood before them, and they showed no reverence.

They were not supposed to. To do so was an insult to her.

However, though they did not revere her as the High God–they did respect her–seeing her as a great scientist and architect–building all that they know and experimenting to create the superior beings that they had become. Though, Paladine had to marvel at them–not even the metallic dragons he breathed life into on Krynn could match the long years or great wisdom and knowledge the 'Space Dragons' held.

Space Dragons, that was his name for them.

"To what do we owe the High God's honor for this visit?" the Blitzardi asked.

**_"Emperor Mae Elaena Draconis," _**Takhisis began. **_"I have failed. A great monster from the Far Realm has come through and I could not stop him. He is powerful, more powerful than the monsters that came before. He calls himself King Ghidorah. In the wake of Vecna's war, I did not have the power to stop this creature."_**

Elaena sighed, wagging her head in dismay. She descended the golden stairs of her throne and held a coppery golden claw out to Takhisis. The High God took it. Elaena brushed her claw through Takhisis' silvery hair, seeing the lines of stress upon the corners of her eyes. Despite the High God's perfect immortality, she was aging from the strain.

"I see what this monster is now doing to you," Elaena said. "Where is he now?"

**_"I've trapped him in this galaxy," _**Takhisis replied. She heard the disapproving murmurs of the other Kethosi. Turning around, she let her claw fall from the Emperor's hand. **_"I had no choice! His presence was stronger in this galaxy and in this dimension than any other! Forgive me, please. I know I've made a mistake." _**Her head lowered. **_"That is all I'm good for."_**

"We will do all we can to protect this galaxy from him," said Elaena. "Is that not what you wish for us to do?"

Takhisis looked back to the Emperor of the Kethosi and nodded slowly.

**_"My knowledge is at your disposal, Emperor Elaena," _**she said. **_"Do what you must."_**

"You give us full control?" Elaena asked. "To do as we will no matter what?"

**_"Yes," _**said Takhisis. **_"Full control. I will not interfere with your actions–whatever you decide they may be. You are in control now."_**

The Blitzardi nodded at the power that she and her people had now been given. She walked out, raised her claws to her people.

"You heard You Know Who!" she called. "It is in our hands. We will quell this monster known as King Ghidorah. By any means necessary!"

Takhisis fell to the floor as she heard the roaring cheers of the other Kethosi. Paladine came to her side and knelt to her. He wrapped one of his wings around her body. Emperor Elaena turned to Takhisis, her twin hair tails swinging about her body, the golden bobbles on her hair jingling.

"You should withdraw," she said. "For your safety and the safety of the Multiverse–what's left of it."

Takhisis nodded and she and Paladine withdrew together back to the Void that surrounded the remaining dimensions. She laid upon the black and folded the blanket of the ethers around her. Paladine ran a claw through her hair.

**_"I must sleep," _**she said. **_"However long it shall take for me to regain my strength. Would you watch the Multiverse for me, Paladine?"_**

"That is what you've ordered me to do, isn't it?" he asked.

Takhisis smiled at him and closed her eyes, drifting off to her deep slumber.

"Sleep tight, Marina," said Paladine.

0

In the millions of years into the future, it would have the name of Earth, but for now, it had no name. Two great continents were separating themselves and the land was covered in large reptilian like creatures that would soon be called dinosaurs. Paladine had watched this planet closely for he saw that there were eight other planets identical to it. Each on would be called Earth in the coming years–each one had the same shapes of continents and a single moon. But as he was told by Takhisis, only a few of these identical planets would support sentient life, and one–this one–would not. However, he wanted to develop sentient life on this planet, life that was capable of fighting against King Ghidorah and his Horrors much like the Kethosi and Takhisis Advanced Dragons of Oererth.

He wanted to create creatures, dragons even, that could have the strength to stand up to the creatures of the Far Realm. He held within him a piece of Takhisis great power, and he could channel the Array through him like the Kethosi. No other god-like being had this kind of power.

The Platinum Dragon cracked his knuckles and raised a claw to the back of his head. He pulled free the glowing cyan cords, allowing them to drop about his back, under his heavy mane. Four triangular markings formed along his cheeks and he downloaded the full power of the High God into himself. Takhisis was still resting, she would not know of this experiment.

He would show her that he could do what she could do. His body glowed with blue-white light and he raced towards the asteroid belt that circled between the rusty small planet and the largest of the gas giants.

The first thing was to be rid of the reptilian creatures that roamed the planet. And as he chose the appropriate asteroid, he pushed it along, streaking it towards the planet. Though, he noticed something. Through the connection to the Array of Takhisis' own mind, Paladine saw the same thing happening to the other identical planets spanning the other eight dimensions. As he moved the asteroid here, eight other asteroids exactly in the same shape and mass density was spiraling towards the other Earths. Paladine looked to his sides, seeing a mirror effect of eight other identical planets side by side to each other and the asteroid he pushed, the same asteroids followed.

Paladine finally let go of the asteroid and it collided with the mid section between the two separating continents, sending forth a fiery plume of ash and hot rock. And much like what happened to Krynn, a black cloud covered the surface of the planet, obscuring the sun's light and heat and bathing the planet into an eternal cold black night. The other eight planets did the same, each one covered in clouds. Paladine growled and pushed the images of the eight other planets away, shielding this one from them.

This was going to be his new world, a world to himself. He would allow sentient life to develop and grow, following the No Interference rule, but he will still be apart of it. He would be among them, interacting with them as one of them.

Paladine smiled at the new world he was going to create, crossing his arms with pride. Then, he felt the cyan cords in the back of his head be cut in half, the great power he had downloaded fading from his form and the black markings disappearing from his cheeks

**_"What the hell have you done?!"_**

The Platinum Dragon turned around to see Takhisis come flying towards him. She slammed her fist into his stomach and sent him toppling down towards the cloud-covered planet. Paladine slammed into the rocky surface of a mountain range, boulders showering out from his fall. He lifted himself up to see Takhisis floating above him, now in her five-headed dragon form. He could sense that she was not healed just yet from the battle with Vecna and King Ghidorah nearly 150 million years ago. The cyan cords flowed out from behind the neck of the main red dragon head, ten cyan blue eyes glowed fiercely as they looked upon Paladine.

**_"You stupid idiot!" _**she called. **_"Do you have any idea what you have done?"_**

"From the ashes of those who have died, a new race will rise," said Paladine. "Dragons and other magical creatures–and even humans, each one with the strength to fight against the Horrors. Just like you wanted. I did this for you, Takhisis!"

**_"No," _**said Takhisis. **_"You did this for yourself, Paladine. What's done has been done. There is no going back. I shall not destroy your project. But if you so wish to be apart of this world, then so be it. Forevermore will you be bound to this planetary system, never to leave. Two light years will be as far as you can travel. You will not be allowed to go no further than that. As for your home on Mercuria, I shall evict you. An island on the Astral Plane shall you call home when you are not here on this world. Now, my Watcher, watch it. And do nothing else."_**

Her great form faded from his view to return to the Void for her rest again. Paladine sighed and laid upon the mountain range, his body now locked to this world and no other.

0

_Galen Garath, the Gold Bandit stood upon the mountains, watching over the people he had created from the ashes of the dinosaurs he destroyed with the asteroid. He locked his godly powers away, rarely returning to his platinum form. Here he would remain. Like him, they were shunned from the rest of the Multiverse. Like him, they were hated. They were his own now._

0

Upon another Earth, Takhisis watched as a human named Gordon Knight fish the bones of a mutated, radioactive dinosaur named Gojira from the Bay of Japan. He carried the skeleton, under the permission of the Japanese government back to the Americas. There, he would begin the construction of a great weapon against another monster like Gojira, the son of Gojira. Though, Takhisis could sense the soul of Gojira still clinging onto the skeleton, not ever wanting to let go, not wanting to rejoin her upon its death. The five-headed dragon followed the 450-foot long skeleton back to Utah in the United States, her form invisible to the sensors of the planes that carried it with strong black steel tethers.

**_"Why do you not wish to rejoin me, give your knowledge to me?" _**she asked the spirit that resided within those bones.

_A golden monster with three heads destroyed my family, _the spirit replied. _I want my revenge._

Takhisis smiled: **_"You shall have it. Perhaps through this new life, you will learn knew experiences that will strengthen you when you are finally ready to let go of yourself and return to the Source."_**

_Perhaps, _the spirit said.

Takhisis left the spirit and withdrew from Earth. This particular Earth was under the watch of the Kethosi. What shall be made from this perhaps will be what she needs to help her fight King Ghidorah once and for all.

Her mind returned to Krynn, still locked within its singularity, still protected–at least for now. There was a reason why she had to protect it. Without the knowledge of the other gods, she hollowed out the planet and built inside its shell the battery from her own glowing cyan ichor-like blood that helped fuel the Multiverse while she continued to regain her strength. She had to make sure King Ghidorah did not find Krynn. As long as it remained in the singularity, it shall be safe. Around Earth and other parts, she seeded fragments of crystalline formations, harden shards of her own blood. A particular set of these fragments were being inserted into the skeleton of that dinosaur in order to help give it new life as the humans began to build a mechanical shell around it.

More fragments were found in other places, used in great ships by these usurping species called the Forerunners, the enemies of her Kethosi. A large chunk of her solidified blood was found under the ocean of that particular Earth and used by a Great Feathered Serpent named Malcho. By seeding these fragments in the various planets around the galaxy, Takhisis was giving her creations of this dimension a fighting chance.

However, King Ghidorah had his own weapons. Solidified fragments of his blood were found as well, everywhere, in the other Earth where she had trapped Paladine, in the vile tuning-fork shaped Relays King Ghidorah built to trick advanced species in using so he could control them. And of course, inside his greatest weapons, enormous ships shaped like cuddle fish called the Reapers. He had other monstrosities, that were pieces of himself acting on their own for him, insect-like creatures called the Invae. A few specialized viruses that mutated people into energy-absorbing monsters, and that was to name a few.

She was preparing her forces, whether they realized it or not, and so was he. Though Takhisis knew that even if she could get rid of King Ghidorah, another would take his place.

It was an on going battle, but now life had a fighting chance, exactly the way she wanted.

And the sky was filled with stars again.


End file.
